


Fire and Ice

by omgdatphantho



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 01:32:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12643419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omgdatphantho/pseuds/omgdatphantho
Summary: “In a world where superheroes exist, one man just wants to be left alone.”Dan. He would love to left alone and pretend he doesn’t have a superpower.“But what if a new supervillain was threatening his existence and his love ones? Would he help then?”Maybe for Phil.





	Fire and Ice

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so excited to share with you my PBB 2017 fic. I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t you already publish a PBB 2017 fic?” Why yes. Yes I did. Actually I wrote two. Surprise! Now, you'll be able to find the links to my beta, artist, and art below.
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> [Beta: radioactiveniamh](https://radioactiveniamh.tumblr.com)
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> Artist: phancy-moodboards
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> [Art](https://phancy-moodboards.tumblr.com/post/167235488393/in-a-world-where-superheroes-exist-one-man-just)
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> [Art](https://phancy-moodboards.tumblr.com/post/167235512083/in-a-world-where-superheroes-exist-one-man-just)

“And as you can see in this next slide.” the teacher says, his back partially turned to the room. The powerpoint flips over showing a drawing of the inside of a flower. Dark lines extend from various parts, the names will be filled in as the lecture progresses.

Dan rolls his eyes and lets out an exaggerated sigh, dropping his head onto his propped up palm. The lecture is dragging by at a snail’s pace. His eyes start to drift around the room, taking in the sight of his classmates around him. He starts focusing on someone a few rows ahead of him, trying to make it obvious that he’s intently staring.

“I hope he calls me.” says the girl with a black and white striped shirt. Dan assumes that she’s talking about the guy she went on a date with the other day. He remembers listening to her debate in her head about what outfit she was going to wear. Dan quickly loses interest in her and moves on to a guy sitting down the row from him.

“I hope no one notices that I’m wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday.” the guy thinks sheepishly. His thin long sleeved t-shirt and dark jeans have a slightly rumpled appearance to them, as if they spent the night crumpled up on the floor in a heap. Dan chuckles quietly to himself at this particular thought. Luckily, everyone is intently focused on the lecture and doesn’t hear him. He learned the hard way about keeping his reactions to other’s thoughts to himself. 

Dan turns his attention back to the lecture just as it’s wrapping up. The teacher is spouting about reading as students begin packing up. Dan sits there for a moment, letting the first wave of students rush to the door become a tangled mess of bodies. The crowd has thinned significantly by the time Dan makes his way to the door.

Students move en masse across the wide expanse of the campus. People rushing about their lives, always in a hurry. Years ago, back when he was about thirteen and scared, Dan could never have imagined being exposed to a crowd this size. He didn’t have a good control over his powers yet, more than one person around him would cause him a massive headache. Being able to read people’s thoughts is an interesting power in theory. Without proper control, it can constant voices in his head and pain within a matter of hours.

Dan has been able to hear other’s people’s thoughts for as long as he could remember. He spent a lot of time sick as a child due to his lack of control. It wasn’t until his early teens that adults around him figured out what was going on and got him the proper help that he needed. He was put on the superpower registry and accepted into the Special’s Program.

The Special’s Program is an agency that’s run in conjunction to the government for those who have super powers. They heads of the agency are those with superpowers. They use the agency to help others to control their powers and help them live as normally as they can. Most people with superpowers work for the government, defending citizens and the country against crime and supervillians.

Just because someone has superpowers does not mean that they have to fight crime or can’t live amongst regular citizens. Dan was given an offer to be able to fight crime when he was eighteen. He turned the offer down because he didn’t want to work for the government. He just wants to be left alone and live an anonymous life. Since Dan is considered to have a Level One superpower (non lethal, non obvious, easy to control), those in charge of the program agreed to leave him relatively alone as long as he checked in with his Case Agent every week.

A Case Agent is assigned to every person with superpowers. The job of the Case Agent is to make sure that the person with powers is not a danger to society, their power is still manageable, and that they haven’t acquired a second power. If they’re found to have a second power, then they have to be brought in and reevaluated. Those with multiple powers usually end up working for the Special’s Program and their lives are more scrutinized. There are reasons why Dan keeps his second power hidden from everyone.

The café in the center of campus is abuzz with activity. Dan takes his place at the end of the line and starts scanning the tables. Groups of friends are sprawled across the larger spaces, their voices and laughter causing a majority of the noise. A few single patrons occupy the smaller tables, work or leisure reading spread before them.

On the far side of the café, a young man sits at table next to the windows. His mug gently lets off steam from it’s place in front of him. His elbows are up on the table, causing his red flannel shirt to stretch across his hunched shoulders. His straight black hair is laying haphazardly all over his head, a combination of the wind and the man running his fingers through it. Dan’s name is called and he collects his drink, taking it over to the man’s table.

“Hey,” Dan says as he sinks into the seat opposite of the man. The man looks up, his blue eyes crinkling slightly as a wide smile spreads across his face.

“You made it!” the man says with elation. Dan rolls his eyes, but the corner of his mouth tugs up in a smirk.

“You always seem so surprised Agent Lester.” Dan says jokingly. This is a well worn conversation for them, one they have every week.

“Just worried one of these times you’re not going to come and you know you don’t have to call me Agent Lester. Phil works just as fine.” the man-Phil responds. Dan rolls his eyes and Phil moves his hand, swatting it in Dan’s direction.

“If I don’t show up, they’ll come hunt me down and make me spend a week at the Facility. That’s a lot of hassle and paperwork that neither of us want. This way, they’ll leave me alone for the most part.” Dan states, the words automatic after being spoken for so long. It’s Phil’s turn to roll his eyes.

“Admit it. You would miss seeing my gorgeous face every week.” Phil says with fake overconfidence. Dan huffs out a chuckle.

“Yes, that’s completely it.” Dan says in a sarcastic drawl. Phil sends him a beaming smile in return. Dan takes a large sip of his coffee, casting his eyes towards to window in an attempt to deflect the blinding powers of Phil’s smile.

“How are your classes going this week?” Phil asks, switching the subject. Dan nods.

“Pretty good. Have some homework, reading, and a paper to get done by the the end of this week.” Dan says. Phil chuckles.

“I don’t miss college, that’s for sure.” he says.

“Your sympathy for me is overwhelming.” Dan responds dryly. Phil chuckles.

“At least you’re going to do something with your degree. Mine’s just sitting there collecting dust.” Phil says softly, sadly. Dan presses his lips together. Early in their meetings, Phil had talked about how he had gone to school for Media production before joining the Special’s Program as a Case Agent.

“Do you ever regret it?” Dan questions. Phil shrugs his shoulders.

“Sometimes, but I know it was the best option for me.” Phil says. Dan knows there’s a hidden meaning behind his words, but it’s lost on him. He just gives a small smile and reaches his hand out to pat Phil’s. Phil smiles at him and shakes his head away, as if he’s shaking away bad memories. They lapse into an uneasy silence and Dan’s unsure what he can say to dissipate the slight tension, but Phil beats him to it.

“So outside the stress of school, how are you doing?” Phil asks, abruptly changing the subject. It’s not the smoothest transition due to Phil’s voice verging on cracking, but Dan pretends not to notice. He doesn’t know a lot about Phil, but definitely respects his wish to not discuss painful things. Dan understands the desire to be left alone more than most.

“Good. I haven’t had much time to do much this week due to school, but I’m not too worried about it.” Dan replies. Phil purses his lips together.

“Have you made a friend yet?” Phil inquires. Dan bites his lip and tips his chin down to his chest, his eyes focusing on the table.

“Not yet.” Dan says. It’s hard for him to make friends. The ability to be in someone’s head opens them completely up to him. Even with all his control, sometimes things still slip through and he has a hard time connecting to others when he’s privy to their darkest secrets. He’s friendly with his roommate and a few of their friends, but he doesn’t have someone he can call up to go out with on the weekend.

“You should try. I know it’s hard, but it would be good for you to socialize regularly with others.” Phil says with a twinge of sadness in it. Dan nods. It’s not the first time Phil’s mentioned finding a friend to him. The sadness is new though and Dan wishes desperately that he could read his mind. He can’t though. It was one of the first things Phil informed him. Phil had training so that Dan can’t read his mind and possibly have access to classified material. Dan’s not sure what he would do with classified material if he got ahold of it, but it’s more of a safety measure than anything.

“I’ll think about it.” Dan replies and Phil gives him a small smile. Dan drains the last of his coffee and looks out the window. The conversation dwindles then, neither of them knowing quite what to say nor having anything meaningful to fill the silence.

“I’ve to get going, but I’ll meet you at the same time next week. Still the one?” Phil asks, checking  about the number of powers Dan has as he gathers up the his cup.

“Sound good. Always the one.” Dan replies, same as he does every week. Phil smiles at him and Dan smiles back.

Across from the coffee shop, a man sits under a tree in the quad; hidden in the shadows from the large expanse of branches spread above him. He’s dress in a hoodie and jeans with a hat pulled low over his brow. A book is spread open on his lap, but he’s not reading it. His attention is focused solely on the coffee shop door.

The door opens and two figures step out. One has a head of curly brown hair, dressed in a dark hoodie and skinny jeans. The other has straight black hair swept every which way, wearing a red flannel and dark jeans. They’re looking at each other and laughing about something. They stop for a moment before parting ways.

The man retrieves his phone out of hoodie pocket, unlocking it with a swipe of his thumb. A few rapid taps on the screen and he locks it again.  **‘Fire and Ice have left the building’**  reads the message.

Two days before they’re suppose to meet, Dan receives a call from Phil. He’s a little wary to answer it because, while they had exchanged numbers years ago, Phil has never called him before.

“Hello? Phil?” Dan asks, confusion in his voice. Phil lets out a sigh of relief.

“Good. This is your number, I was worried for a moment.” Phil responds. “Oh, Hello Dan.” he says as an afterthought. Dan chuckles and rolls his eyes.

“Hello Phil.” Dan responds, fondness in his voice. “What do I owe the pleasure of this call? Is something wrong?” he asks, his voice dropping with sudden concern.

“Nothing is really wrong persey. I have to go out of town on Program business and won’t be able to make our meeting this week. I can do my check in now if you’re free at the moment.” Phil responds. Dan looks around for a moment. He’s sitting at his desk, eating left overs and half-heartedly working on homework.

“I’ve got a few minutes free. I can talk.” Dan answers, trying to sound as if he’s been busy, but Phil caught him at his one free moment.

“Excellent.” Phil replies happily.

They chit chat briefly about how Dan’s week is going so far. Phil recounts his week, the parts that he can share with Dan at least and they laugh over some of Phil’s experiences with the general public. Phil asks his required questions and Dan gives his same tired answers. When Phil huffs at the admission that Dan hasn’t made an effort to socialize, Dan can see the frown on his face as clear as day and the thought makes him chuckle.

“What are you laughing at?” Phil questions with insistence. Dan rolls his eyes and smirks, but then remembers that Phil can’t see him right now.

“You’re totally frowning right now aren’t you?” Dan asks. Phil huffs again and Dan chuckles.

“It’s only because my charge seems to think laughing at me is a polite thing to do.” Phil insists. Now it’s Dan’s turn to huff.

“I’m not laughing at you because I’m unpolite you spoon. I was chuckling because I could see the frown on your face when I told you I haven’t socialized yet. You always make that face when I say that and I could see it clear as day as if you were sitting across from me.” Dan explains.

“I don’t make a face.” Phil contends after a beat.

“Yes you do.” Dan counters. Phil falls silent for a moment, then he makes a boisterous squawk.

“Also, did you really call me a spoon?” Phil demands loudly. Dan laughs long and hard at the question.

“Well if the shoe fits...” Dan says cheekily. Phil giggles and Dan smiles. They lapse into a momentarily, comfortable silence and Dan can feel warmth blooming in his chest. Phil clears his throat.

“Listen, I have to go, but I’ll see you next week. I should be back in time for that. Call me if you need anything.” Phil says. Dan nods, but then remembers that Phil can’t see him.

“Sounds good. I’ve got a lot of stuff to do.” Dan replies, trying to sound convincing, but failing.

“Uh huh, sure ya do. Have to go save the world don’t ya?” Phil teases.

“You know it!” Dan shoots back, a smile evident in his voice. Phil chuckles.

“Still one?” Phil asks softly.

“Still one.” Dan affirms. Phil hums.

“Bye Dan. See you next week.” Phil states.

“Bye Phil. Can’t wait.” Dan says honestly. The call disconnects after that and Dan drops his phone onto his desk, letting out a long sigh.

Phil flops back onto the hotel bed, the comforter scratching at his arms. His phone slips from his fingers, but he makes no effort to retrieve it. Conversations with Dan always leave him with a weird feeling. Happiness and sunshine while they’re going on; a hollow sensation in his chest after they’ve ended.

Just as he was considering delving into why that is, a knock comes at his door. Phil reluctantly pulls himself off the bed and opens the door. Callan, his case agent/handler is standing outside the door. He’s dressed in his signature dark suit.

“Could you look more like a government agent?” Phil asks sarcastically as users Callan inside the room. Callan rolls his eyes.

“Probably if I try hard enough.” Callan quips back and it’s Phil’s turn to roll his eyes.

“Do you have my intel?” Phil asks, shuffling deeper into the room.

“Of course. Why else would I be here? You’re not that interesting.” Callan says, holding out a folder for Phil to take.

“Keep telling yourself that.” Phil says with a chuckle.

“Read that and be ready in about an hour. We have briefing to attend.” Callan states as he takes his leave. Phil nods.

A week later, Dan’s sitting at their table in the cafe. He has his hat pulled low over his face and his hoodie pulled up as far as it will go. His focus is so intent on the mug in front of him that he physically jumps when the chair across from him moves. Phil plops down, thumping a mug on the tabletop, and brushing his loose fringe out of his eyes.

“I usually beat you here. Am I late?” Phil asks, moving to grab his phone. Dan shakes his head, but keeps his gaze down. He sees Phil frown out of the corner of his eye. “What is it? What’s wrong Dan?” Phil asks, voice full of concern.

“It’s nothing. Everything is fine.” Dan says quietly. Phil bites his lower lip and shakes his head.

“Then look at me.” Phil states. Dan shakes his head.

“Can we just get the questions over with please?” Dan pleads softly.

Phil leans back in his seat, squaring his shoulders and crossing his arms over his chest. He steels his face and narrows his attention on Dan. Dan shifts minutely under Phil’s intense gaze. “No.” Phil states in a firm voice. Dan’s shoulders sag. He had been hoping that Phil would let the whole thing go. A part of him knew that it would be a hopeless pipe dream.

Dan raises his head, looking directly at Phil. He watches Phil’s whole demeanor change. His eyes grow wide, his arms go slack, and his mouth drops open. Dan flicks his eyes away, his chest tightening.

Phil’s brain is having a hard time processing what he’s seeing. The left side of Dan’s face his slightly swollen and his eye has a dark purple bruise around it. Phil can feel his heart clench at the prospect that someone would do this to Dan. Dan-one of the sweetest, kindest, unassuming people Phil knows. Dan-the closest person Phil has to a best friend.

“Who-? What-?” Phil starts, his mind finally catching up and racing faster than his mouth. “Who did this to you Dan?” Dan shrugs and drops his chin to his chest. Phil reaches out and places his hand on Dan’s arm. “You can tell me Dan. You know that you can always tell me anything.” Phil assures him. Dan’s eyes flick up towards him.

“Are you wondering as my Case Agent or as my friend?” Dan asks softly. Phil’s heart aches. He squeezes Dan’s arm in a gesture that he hopes is reassuring.

“As your friend Dan. If we’re not discussing the questions I have to ask you, we’re just talking as friends. I hope you see us as friends.” Phil says, his voice low and comforting. Dan lifts his head, his eyes wide and hopeful.

“Yeah? You see us as friends?” Dan asks, hope flowing through his words. Phil nods his head and gives Dan a small half smile.

“Of course I do. I hope you feel the same way.” Phil states. Dan gives him a tiny smile.

“I do.” Dan reassures him and Phil smiles brightly. They stare at each other for a few moments until Phil realises that Dan never told him the story of his newly acquired shiner. Phil retracts his hand and settles back into his seat; picking up his cup and staring pointedly at Dan.

“So you going to tell me the story?” Phil asks. Dan shifts in his seat. He thinks for a minute and nods his head.

“It happened yesterday while I was on my way to class,” he starts. “I was walking and was grabbed as I passed an opening between the buildings. I was pushed against the building and there were three guys standing around me.”

“Then they just hit you?” Phil asks, interrupting Dan’s story. Dan half heartedly shrugs.

“Not right away. They said things first. They called me a freak and said that ‘there was no place for freaks like me in the world’. Then they kicked and hit me.” Phil frowns. He softens his face and reaches out, covering Dan’s hand with his own. Dan stares at their hands and a small smile spreads across his face. He twists his hand so slot his fingers between Phil’s.

“I’m sorry that they did that to you. They were wrong though. There’s always a place for you in this world.” Phil whispers. Dan squeezes his hand and gives Phil a brighter smile.

It isn’t until late that night that Phil allows himself to reflect on the conversation with Dan. His heart clenches as he recalls Dan’s bruised face. He can’t wrap his mind around why someone would do that to Dan. Sweet, innocent Dan who just wants to be left alone.

Phil finds himself torn. One part of him wants to barbecue the idiots who hurt Dan within an inch of their pathetic lives. The other part of Phil desires to wrap Dan up in his his arms and hid him away from the rest of the world; protect him from everyone and everything. The years old crush and the unspoken secrets aches in his very soul. He wraps the blanket tightly around himself and pretends that the tears aren’t falling from his eyes.

Dan lays in his bed in the dark, crying silently to himself. His face and torso aches, the bruises running deep under his skin. He cries for his lack of anonymity and his loneliness. He has three wishes in the world: to be left alone, to finish his English degree, and to be with Phil forever. Phil-the person he considers his best friend. Phil-the happy ray of sunshine. Phil-his longest crush. Phil-his biggest desire.

The next few weeks pass quickly and chaotically. Phil isn’t able to meet up with for their weekly coffee meeting due to criminals and supervillains causing chaos in other parts of the country. Dan understands, to a point. He knows that Phil does other work for the Special’s Program, but Dan’s unsure of what that entails exactly. Phil, with much internal guilt, has yet to inform Dan that he’s the famous superhero Flame Blaster.

It’s late at night, the predawn hours still awhile away. Dan’s jarred out of his sleep by his ringing phone. He squints at the brightly lit face, Phil’s name spread across the screen.

“Hello?” Dan asks, his voice still thick with sleep.

“Oh Dan. Thank god!” Phil sobs out. The tone of his voice has Dan wide awake and sitting straight up.

“Phil? Phil? What’s wrong?” Dan rushes out with concern. Phil takes a few deep, labored breaths.

“Nothing. Sorry I woke you. I’ll let you go.” Phil whispers. Dan’s chest clenches. 

“Please don’t. It’s ok. Please talk to me.” Dan begs. Phil sighs, relaxing slightly.

“Nothing is really wrong. I’m still doing work for the Program and it was a really bad day.” Phil states. Dan’s chest eases.

“Ok. It’s ok. I’m sorry that the day didn’t go well. Do you want to talk about it?” Dan inquires.

Phil pauses for a moment, considering spilling everything to Dan. Ultimately, he decides against it. “No. Can we just talk about nothing for awhile?” he asks quietly.

“Sure Phil.” Dan replies. They launch into a discussion about television shows, movies, and books. The first inklings of dawn start peeking over the horizon and Dan finds it hard to keep his eyes open.

“I’ve got to go soon Phil. My eyes are starting to refuse to stay open.” Dan explains and Phil sympathizes. The adrenaline from the fight he lost earlier has started to ware off and he knows that he’s going to crash soon.

“I get it. Thanks for this Dan. I really appreciate it.” Phil whispers.

“Anytime Phil.” Dan whispers with a smile.

“Can we do this again? Would it be ok if I called you outside of our meetings?” Phil asks.

Dan’s smile spreads wider. “Always Phil. Always.” he says. Phil lets out a content sigh and then they say their goodbyes. Both of them fall asleep quickly with large smiles on their faces.

It’s a few weeks later when their routine went back to semi-normal. Things have changed between them since the late night phone call. Dan and Phil have been texting each other every day, becoming closer with each message. They’re still meeting up weekly for coffee, but they spend more time talking about other interests than Phil’s check-in questions.

If they could tear their eyes away from each other, they would notice the man. The man, dressed in a nondescript hoodie and jeans, is always watching them. He keeps his distance and frequents the shadows as much as possible. He spends his days following Dan behind, relaying his location and actions via text message.

“Can I ask you something?” Phil asks, during a break of silence in their weekly coffee meeting. Dan sets his cup down and gives Phil his full attention.

“Is something wrong?” Dan asks with concern. Phil pauses for a moment, then shrugs half heartedly. He looks tightens his fingers around his mug and stares intently at it.

“Maybe. It really depends on your reaction.” Phil states. Dan tilts his head to the side, mystified by Phil’s puzzling words.

“Just ask. You won’t know how I’ll react until you ask.” Dan says softly, reaching out and laying his hand on Phil’s arm. Phil moves his gaze from his mug to Dan’s warm hand.

“Would you like to go out with me?” Phil whispers. Dan doesn’t answer right away and Phil can feel his heart starting to sink.

“Yes.” Dan breaths out. Phil jerks his head up swiftly and sees Dan nodding with a smile spreading his mouth wide.

A man walks into a fifties replica diner. As he waits for his turn to be seated, he watches one of the waitresses show a couple to a booth. The man requests a smaller seat towards the back of the dining area. From his vantage point, he has a perfect view of the couple. The man settles into the booth, pulling out his phone.

 **‘Fire and Ice at diner.’**  says the message he sends off. He sets the phone on the table top and picks up the menu.

Phil is sitting on the left side of the booth, waving his arms above his head as he tells Dan about his day. Dan is sitting across from him with both elbows on the table and his chin resting on his hands. He’s completely enthralled with Phil’s story.

Phil completes his story and smiles at Dan. Dan smiles back with a wonderstruck look in his eyes. They settle into a comfortable silence that’s only broken by the waitress coming by to take their order.

“We should split a milkshake.” Phil says, ignoring the waitress for a moment. Dan looks up from his menu and furrows his brow in Phil’s direction.

“What? No.” Dan says. Phil raises one of his eyebrows and frowns.

“Why not?” Phil asks.

“We’re not in the 1950s Phil.” Dan states. Phil sighs and waves a hand around. Dan glances around and sighs. “This doesn’t count and you know what I mean.” he says and Phil giggles.

“Why can’t we share then?” Phil asks. Dan huffs.

“I have a feeling you’re going to drink most of it. Why don’t we each get a different one and share them?” Dan offers. Phil’s face breaks into a large smile and he nods enthusiastically.

The man in the booth watches as couple finish their meal and pay. He exits the diner shortly after them, watching them walk down the pavement holding each other’s hands.

 **‘Fire and Ice have left the diner. Heading west.’**  the text message says. The man follows them down to the theater a few blocks down.

His next message reads:  **‘Fire and Ice entering theater.’**  He follows them into the theater, sitting a few rows behind them.

Dan and Phil topple into their seats in the middle of the theater. A few pieces of popcorn drop onto the ground and Phil frowns at their loss, causing Dan to giggle. They snuggle close to each other and settle in for the movie.

The man spends more time watching the couple than the movie. He follows them out of the theater and down towards the Underground. The man gets off at the same stop as them. He watches as the couple disappears inside of an apartment building. He settles onto a bench slightly down the road, slightly hidden by a tree.

 **‘Fire and Ice have entered Ice’s building.’**  is the latest message the man sends. He waits, eyes watching the door. The building door opens and someone steps out.  **‘Fire has left the building.’**  the man sends before heaving himself off the bench, following the other man down the pavement.

Phil’s footsteps echo across tile covered hallway. He’s been called into headquarters for a meeting with the higher ups, the ones in charge of the Special’s Program. Phil’s nerves started to fray when he received the call from Callan. He’s never called into a meeting with the Big Wigs so he figures something huge is going down.

Walking in the room, Phil takes in the oversized table filled with people. He recognizes some as Program executives and others as other superheroes; some older who’ve been in the Program longer than him and others who joined after him. Phil slides into an empty seat at the end of the table.

“Thank you all for coming.” the man at the front of the room says. Phil recognizes him, but can’t place his name. He’s not the CEO, but maybe the V.P. Phil guesses. “We’ve called you all here to inform you of a pressing matter. A new threat has risen in the form of a supervillain.” the man explains. He presses a button on the clicker in his hand and a grainy security video fills the projector screen at the front of the room.

A hooded figure strolls into a bank, stopping in the middle of the lobby. They looks around and focuses on the security guard. The video doesn’t have sound, but the hooded figure doesn’t appear to say anything to the guard. Suddenly, the guard pulls out his gun and starts waving it around. The video is paused.

“Two days ago, this hooded figure walked into a bank in South London and used the security guard to rob it. Witnesses report that the figure never spoke a word the entire time. The guard said that he had never seen the man before and that it felt like his mind had been taken over, like he had no control over his actions.” the possible V.P. explains. Everyone at the table is hanging on his every word.

“The figure appears to be using telepathy or telekinesis. We’re unsure at this time which is specifically or if they posses any other powers.” the possible V.P. states.

“What do we know?” asks someone in a suit.

“That this figure is someone we’ve never seen before. They’re no one that we have listed in our database of known villains. They have also named themselves and it’s not a name that we have registered to anyone in our system.” the possible V.P. says. He hits a button on his remote and a slide appears on the screen. it’s clearly a picture from the bank. The black spray paint has dripped down the wall slightly, but the intended shape is still very clear. It’s an infinity symbol.

“We’re calling this person Infinity until we can receive a more accurate name.” the possible V.P. states after a few moments of silence. Phil glances around the room, taking in the shock and concern on his fellow heroes’ faces.

“Your caseworkers will be giving you more detailed files on the case. We’re trying to keep this as quiet as possible right now so this information doesn’t leave this room. Heroes, be alert and vigilant. We will keep you updated as we learn more. Thank you.” the possible V.P. says, concluding the meeting in one swoop. Phil rises from his chair in a slight daze. A sick feeling settles in his stomach due to the thought that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

Phil stares out the window, watching the buildings blur by. He silently sighs. He should be on a date with Dan right now, but he isn’t because he’s in a car being taken to a rondevu point.

Dan had called him earlier, apologising profusely for having to cancel their date at the last minute, but something had come up and he wasn’t able to make it. Phil completely understood, though noted that it was weird that Dan didn’t mention what he would be doing instead. Phil shrugged it off, trusting his boyfriend. A little over an hour later, Phil gets called into work.

“What’s the situation?” Phil asks as he walks into the station room. He’s decked out in his costume. The officers are standing around, waiting for orders. Some of them are staring wide eyed at him, having never seen a superhero up close, and others are ignoring him. He walks over to Callan and the other suits from the Program.

“Infinity has been sighted in the area. They’ve seem to be robbing a jewelry store.” Callan answers. Phil nods.

“What’s the plan?” Phil asks.

“Get into the store and stop Infinity without injuring any of the hostages.” Callan informs him. Phil nods again.

Phil makes his way into the store. He can see a huddled and scared group near the back of the showfloor. Infinity is standing with their back to the door, facing the group. Phil debates using his flame power, but decides against it. The space is too enclosed for him to risk injuring someone.

“Hey!” Phil calls out, alerting Infinity to his presence. Infinity slowly turns around and Phil gets his first good look at them. Infinity is tall, about Phil’s own height. They’re dark cape flutters open; revealing a tight, dark suit and a distinct lack of breasts. Their hood is pulled over their head and they’re wearing a dark mask that covers the top half of their face.

Phil rushes Infinity, trying to get the upperhand. He grabs Infinity’s shoulder and spins him around so they’re face to face. Phil pulls his arm back and punches Infinity in the face. Infinity shifts backwards, his shoulder slipping out of Phil’s grasp.

Before Phil has a chance to grab him again, he’s flying backwards through the air. His body smashes through the glass front doors and slams into a car parked along the street. His head bangs against the metal, leaving his dazed and the edges of his vision black. Phil blinks slowly, trying to refocuses his sight.

He must have passed out because when he opens them again, he’s staring at the ceiling of an ambulance. Phil lets out a groan as the stretcher is jostled.

“Can you hear me?” someone asks. A EMT slides into his field of vision and Phil tries to nod his head, but is restricted. He groans.

“Don’t try to move. We had to stabilize your neck in case of damage.” the EMT explains.

“Ok.” Phil says, closing his eyes again

It takes nearly all night, but Phil’s finally given a clean bill of health. He doesn’t have a concussion or any damage to his spinal cord. He’s just going to be really sore for the next few days and the doctor wants him to take it easy for a few days. Callan sits with him at the hospital and drives him home. He only leaves after Phil promises to keep him constantly updated on his condition.

It’s a few days later when Dan and Phil are able to see each other again. Phil’s still slightly sore, but feeling loads better than he did the morning after the fight. Dan drops into the seat in the diner with a sigh. Phil looks at him and feels the smile slide off his face.

On the left side of Dan’s face, right under his eye socket, is a fading bruise. Phil knows that this bruise is new, albit a few days old, because Dan didn’t have it the last time they saw each other. Dan bites his lip, knowing Phil is staring at the mark on his face.

“What happened?” Phil asks with concern. He cups Dan’s face, turning his head to get a better look at the mark.

“I slipped in the shower.” Dan answers. Phil hums. The location of the fading bruise looks suspiciously like where his fist connected with Infinity’s face. Phil pushes the fleeting thought to the back of his mind.

“You should get some of those adhesive animals you stick on the bottom of the tub.” Phil suggests.

Dan snorts and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’ll get right on that.” he says sarcastically. Phil laughs.

A pattern begins to emerge. Phil tries his hardest to ignore it or bury his head in the proverbial sand, but it becomes a difficult task. Whenever Dan cancels their dates or hangouts or weekly check-ins, Phil gets called away to fight Infinity.

Phil can’t help, but notice how similar Infinity appears to be to Dan. Similar build, same color eyes, and similar bruises or injuries. He thinks about adding about how Dan’s never around when Infinity is, but that’s a point that could belong to a multitude of people. Still, Phil could make the argument that Dan always cancels plans before Infinity shows up.

Dan knows Phil is pulling away, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. Sure, Dan’s had to cancel a lot of dates/hangouts lately, but he has a good reason. HIs secret is getting harder to control and it’s requiring more attention than he thought it would. Dan knows that he could ask for help, but then they would take him out of school and attempt to control every aspect of his life. That goes against everything he wants.

 **‘Fire is entering Ice’s building.’**  the man sends to his boss. He settles in for the wait, knowing that Ice isn’t home right now. From the brief look he was able to get of Fire, the man has a gut feeling that something bit is going to go down; outside of his boss’s plan. An hour later, the man send his boss another message.  **‘Ice has returned home.’**

Dan walks up to the door of his flat and stops short. Phil’s sitting on the ground, back propped up against the wall and legs stretched out in front of him. His head is tilting to the side as he appears to be dozing. Dan drops into a crouch and gently shakes Phil’s shoulder.

“Huh? What?” Phil asks in a gruff and startled voice. Dan gives him a small, tight smile.

“You’re sleeping outside my door.” Dan informs him, standing up. Phil looks up at him, squinting against the harsh hallway light.

“Sorry.” Phil apologises. He stands up and stretches, trying to rid his body of a newly acquired ache. Dan unlocks the door and Phil follows him inside.

They end up in the living room, standing with a large distance between them. This is the first time they’ve seen each other in over two weeks. It wouldn’t be a big deal if they hadn’t exchanged roughly half a dozen or so messages between them. The air between them feels heavy with tension.

“What are you doing here Phil?” Dan asks, crossing his arms defensively across his chest. Phil sighs.

“I can’t see my boyfriend?” Phil questions back. Dan rolls his eyes.

“Am I your boyfriend? You’ve been basically ghosting me for weeks now.” Dan states.

“Sorry for being unavailable due to work. You’ve been keeping me pretty busy.” Phil spits out. Dan furrows his brow.

“What do you mean? How can I be keeping you busy? You’ve been working basically nonstop. I’m surprised you even remember who I am.” Dan spews back. Fury overtakes Phil’s eyes.

“Stop lying!” Phil yells.

“What am I lying about?” Dan asks.

“I know you’re Infinity! That’s why you keep disappearing and canceling dates! Stop lying to me!” Phil screams.

“Who is Infinity? What are you even talking about?” Dan bellows back.

“The new supervillain who has been wreaking havoc all over the country.” Phil explains.

“The guy on the telly?” Dan asks. “You think I’m some secret supervillain?” he continues. Phil nods and Dan stares at him in disbelief.

“Are you kidding me?” Dan screams. “You know me. Do you really think I’m capable of being a supervillain behind your back?”

“What am I supposed to think? You’ve been so secretive for weeks. I feel like I don’t know you at all.” Phil confesses. Dan’s chest tightens.

“I promise you that I’m not Infinity.” Dan states.

“Then tell me what you’ve been up to.” Phil demands

Dan shakes his head. “I can’t.” he says softly. He can’t risk it. His freedom is too precious to him.

“Why not?” Phil asks.

“I just can’t. Please trust me.” Dan beseeches. His eyes wide and pleading.

Phil feels his heart start to break and he shakes his head. “I-I can’t.” he says mournfully. Dan inhales sharply.

“Then leave.” Dan demands softly. Phil doesn’t move. “If you can’t trust me, then you need to leave.” Dan states.

Anger and hurt mix inside of Phil. He squares his jaw and stares directly at Dan’s face. “Fine.” he says harshly. Phil turns on his heels and strides out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. Dan stares after him, feeling the tears welling up in his eyes.

 **‘Fire has left the building.’**  the man sends off, watching the figure storm down the pavement.  **‘You have your orders.’**  is the reply. The man smiles at his phone and heaves himself off the bench, moving towards the apartment building.

Phil stomps into his flat, slamming the door behind him. He stands in the middle of his living room: eyes shut tight, fist clenched, and a frustrated scream pouring from his mouth. He feels the temperature around him elevate slightly and opens his eyes. His hands are completely covered in flames.

He stares at the fire with fascination. He’s seen it before, but it’s been quite a while since he’s seen his fire while he’s angry. For a moment, Phil considers setting the fire free, setting something on fire and spreading the fiery rage burning him up inside.

Instead, he takes a few deep breaths and forces himself to calm down. The fire shrinks until it dissipates completely. Then, the tears come. They slide down his cheeks and fall onto the floor. Phil’s legs give out next, causing him to crumble to the ground in a heap. There he lays, his body wracked with sobs.

It’s the ringing of his phone that wakes him the next morning. Phil’s body aches and his face is stiff from the dried tear tracks.

“‘Ello?” he says, his voice gruff with sleep.

“Hello Flame Blaster.” a deep voice says. Phil sits straight up, ignoring his muscles protests, and furrows his brow. He pulls the phone away from his ear and checks the screen. The number isn’t one that he recognizes.

“Who is this?” Phil asks, sounding more alert than he was a moment before. The voice chuckles.

“I guess you wouldn’t recognize me solely from my voice, considering I’ve never spoken when we met.” the man says.

“Infinity?” Phil asks.

“Yes Flame Blaster. It’s nice to finally speak to you.” Infinity says. Phil grits his teeth.

“How did you get this number? Why are you calling me?” Phil questions. The phone buzzes.

“Check the picture you just received.” Infinity states. Phil pulls his phone away from his ear. He clicks on the picture message and the image that fills his screen causes his heart to stop.

Dan’s arms are pulled over his head and tied tightly together. He’s hanging from a hook by the rope around his wrists and a gag is wrapped over his mouth. His eyes are wide and dried blood is smeared across his cheek.

“You’ll be receiving an address shortly. Come alone or your precious Dan gets it.” Infinities voice filters through the line before it goes dead. Phil can’t tear his eyes away from the image. Determination and anger fills him as he flips through his contacts.

“Callan, we need to talk.” he says.

Dan’s arm ache from being suspended by them for so long. He hasn’t seen the hooded man or any of his goons lately. Dan hopes they’ve forgotten about him because it’s better than being beaten, but at the same time, he has no clue where he is or if anyone will come looking for him.

Phil stands outside the address he was given. It’s an abandon warehouse on the outskirts of the city. His supersuit feels constricting across his chest and he tempers down the urge to fidget. Callan and his team are hidden throughout the surrounding building. Callan argued that they should go in all at once, but Phil wouldn’t let them. He won’t do anything that could further jeopardize Dan.

The heavy metal door flings open, slamming against the wall. Dan slowly cracks his eyes open. His ribs hurt with every breath and his skin itches from the dried blood. A tall, thin figure steps through the door. They’re framed from the light outside and slightly too far away for Dan to get a good look at them.

Once Phil steps inside, he glances quickly at his surrounds. The room takes up roughly half the length of the building and it’s mainly empty; save for a few piles of junk and Dan dangling from a hook at the opposite end. Phil only takes a few steps when the door slams shut behind him.

Strong, rough hands grab his arms from behind and twist them, restricting his movements. A solid body crowds behind him and pushes him forward. Phil stumbles his way closer to Dan.

Dan’s eye go wide at the sight of the tall man decked out in red, orange, and white spandex. He racks his mind for a name, but all he can come up with is Fire Something and he knows that’s not right. Apparently someone sent a superhero to rescue him, but they’ve been caught. Hope slips through away from Dan. He could use his strength to break the rope, but his skills are not fine tuned enough to take out the hooded man or his minions.

The hooded man glides into the space and chuckles at the sight of the caught superhero. “Flame Blaster! How nice of you to join us!” the hooded man exclaims. Flame Blaster struggles against the goon’s hold.

“I’m here. Let him go,” Flame Blaster grunts out. His voice is low, but holds a whisper of familiarity in Dan’s brain. The hooded man throws his head back and lets out a loud laugh. Both Flame Blaster and Dan shudder at the noise.

“That wasn’t the deal.” the hooded man informs Flame Blaster. Flame Blaster huffs out of frustration.

“Infinity,” Flame Blaster states with a warning tone. The name clicks in Dan’s head and he groans in realization.

“Ah. I see Dan is starting to realize how much trouble he’s in.” Infinity says, turning to face Dan.

“Don’t touch him!” Flame Blaster calls out as Infinity lifts a hand in Dan’s direction. Infinity glances over his shoulder at Flame Blaster, a sneer curling at his lip.

“Don’t want your precious little pet messed with?” Infinity questions. Dan’s eyes narrow in confusion. He’s never seen this hero except in passing on the television and he’s nobody’s pet.

“He’s not my pet.” Flame Blaster spits out. Infinity drops his hand without touching Dan and turns around to face Phil. He crosses his hands behind his back and his feet are planted shoulder width apart.

“Quite right. I’m assuming you haven’t told him because he clearly doesn’t recognize you. How did you think things would go? Did you think you could keep it from him forever?” Infinity challenges. Flame Blaster drops his head to his chest and shakes it.

Dan’s eyebrows are furrowed and his mouth is pinched tight. He doesn’t even know who this hero is personally nor does he have any idea what Infinity and Flame Blaster are talking about. He would say something, but his tongue feels too fat and heavy to work correctly.

“Take off his mask.” Infinity orders. Dan watches enthralled as one of the goons reaches up and grips the back of Flame Blaster’s mask. Flame Blaster struggles against the tight hold. The goon removes the mask with a jerk of his arm and he tosses it off to the side.

Dan’s mouth drops open. Black hair lays haphazardly over the head. Bright, blue eyes stare at him from deep sockets. Plump, pink lips contrast against the alabaster skin. “Ph-Phil?” Dan whispers, stuttering over his words with his too thick tongue. Phil drops his chin to his chest and nods his head.

“Fantastic! Now everyone’s on the same page.” Infinity booms with a wide, sickening grin. Dan’s mouth gapes similar to that of a fish and Phil hangs practically limp in the goons’ clutches. “Now we can get down to business.” Infinity decrees.

Dan regains his ability to close his mouth just as Phil say “Let him go,” once again. Infinity laughs. “I might, but that depends on if you take the deal or not.” he informs Phil.

“What deal?” Phil asks.

“You come work for me, never seeing him again, and Dan will go free.” Infinity informs him. Both Dan’s and Phil’s mouths drop open.

“No!” they both cry out. Infinity watches with glee.

“No?” Infinity asks. He turns his attention towards Dan at first. “So you want to die?” he questions with an eyebrow raise. Horror overtakes Dan’s face. Infinity turns on his heel and faces Phil without waiting for a response from Dan. “You want him to die?” Infinity inquires.

“No!” Phil shouts.

“Then take the deal.” Infinity says flatly.

“No Phil. Don’t take the deal. Please don’t take the deal.” Dan pleads.

Phil looks up and directly into Dan’s eyes. Tears pool along his lower lids and he blinks a few times. “For you, I would die if it meant keeping you safe.” he informs Dan. His voice is soft and full of love.

Anger bubbles up into Dan’s chest and angry tears prick at his eyes. An enraged scream erupts from his throat as he breaks apart his bonds. Phil watches wide eyed as Dan punches Infinity, sending him sailing across the room.

Infinity hits the wall with a grunt. He stands up and stares intently at Dan. Goons waiting outside the room and along the edges descend on Dan, surrounding him in a circle. Phil watches with wide eyes as Dan starts punching and throwing the goons out of the circle.

Phil snaps out of his trance and closes his eyes, focusing on the energy inside of him. His body begins to heat up as fire makes it way to his skin. Careful to keep the flames away from his unprotected head, his torso and legs burst into flames. The two goons holding him drop to the ground, screaming in agony as the flesh falls from their hands.

The goons are dropping like flies under Dan’s strength. After a quick glance to see the situation is under control, Phil turns his attention to Infinity. Infinity is standing a few feet away from the action, watching with slight surprise that Dan is taking down his goons with easy.

“Hey!” Phil calls out. Infinity turns his attention towards Phil and narrows his eyes. A chilling smirk curls his lips and a light chuckle slips out his mouth. Phil stretches his arms out in front of him and shoots a fire blast at Infinity.

Infinity leaps into the air, escaping the flames. “You’ll have to try harder.” he mocks as he floats above the ground. Phil tries again and again, but Infinity doges every one of the attacks.

Dan grabs the last goon by his shoulder and reels his arm back, landing a satisfying punch to the man’s face. The goon crumbles to the ground unconscious. Dan turns on his heels and faces the scene behind him.

Phil sees the movement out of the corner of his eye and turns his head. He locks eyes with Dan and opens his mouth to shout. Suddenly, Phil’s muscles seize up. Dan’s face drops open in horror. Phil struggles to turn his head and catches sight of Infinity out of his peripheral vision.

Infinity has his arm stretched out with his hand slightly cupped and an intense look on his face. The tighter he cups his hand, the stiffer Phil’s muscles become. Phil tries to struggle, but he can’t break the hold.

“Let him go!” Dan commands. His eyes are narrowed and his fists are curled tight at his sides.

Infinity throws his head back and laughs. “What are you going to do about it?” he sneers.

“This.” Dan states. He grabs one of the unconscious goons at his feet and throws him through the air as if he’s a pillow. The unconscious goon slams into Infinity, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

The second the Infinity’s hand dropped, Phil crumbles to the floor. Dan rushes to his side. “Phil? Are you okay?” Dan asks. Phil nods, sucking air quickly into his lungs.

Infinity pushes the goon off of him and raises to his feet. He turns his attention to Dan and Phil. Dan is pulling Phil off the floor. Infinity stretches his arms out, trying to contain them in his grasp. Phil shoots out his arm, sending a stream of fire from his palm. Infinity doges the stream of fire, rolling to the left.

Dan and Phil dig their heels in. Dan’s throwing goons and boxes to wear down Infinity. Phil’s shooting fire, trying to keep him contained. The fire drives Infinity against one of the walls. He tries to push back against Dan and Phil, but it’s futile. Phil gives Dan an opening and Dan slips in right in front of Infinity. He tightens his fists and pulls his arms back, letting them fly with flurry.

Infinity puts up a good fight, but in the end, it’s all for not. Phil’s fire leaves him at the mercy of Dan’s punches. Dan relentlessly pummels Infinity. A rather hard hit to Infinity’s head sends him careening into the darkness and crumbling onto the ground.

The heat from the fire ceases as Phil drops his hands. His shoulders sag slightly. Dan drops his arms to his sides, wincing as he stretches out his sore and bruised hands. He looks over at Phil and gives him a weary smile. They quickly close the distance between them and wrap their arms around each other tightly.

“I thought I was going to lose you.” Phil confesses. Dan shakes his head, tears pricking at his eyes. Phil clings tight to Dan’s torso, blinking rapidly while trying to hold back tears.

The door at the far end of the warehouse bangs open. A flood of men wearing bulletproof vests and wielding weapons. They fan out throughout the space, securing the area. Dan and Phil jump apart. A man fitted in dark gear makes his way over to the pair.

“Are you two okay?” the man asks. Dan nods.

“Yeah Callan, we’re good.” Phil replies with a chuckle.

Dan looks at Phil with a raised eyebrow. “Callan?” he asks. Phil and the man, Callan, smile at him.

“Dan meet Callan, my handler/personal pain in my backside. Callan, this is my Dan.” Phil explains with accompanying hand gestures. Callan slaps Dan on his back and grins.

“You’re the famous Dan. Glad to meet you mate,” Callan exclaims. Dan nods in acknowledgement, filing away the information to question Phil about later. “To the ambulance with both of you,” Callan continues after a beat. Phil nods and wraps his arm around Dan’s shoulders, leading him out of the warehouse.

They’re sitting in the back of the ambulance when the government agents bring an unconscious Infinity out of the warehouse on a stretcher. Phil shifts sideways slightly, bumping his shoulders against Dan’s. “You really did a number on him.” he whispers.

“Yeah. So did you Flame Blaster,” Dan responses with a smile.

“I was thirteen when I thought of it. Give me a break please,” Phil pleads.

Dan shakes his head. “Never,” he teases.

Five months later, Dan walks into his flat. He drops his keys on the side table and his backpack on the floor. The television filters out the only sound in the flat. Dan drops onto the couch, jostling Phil. Phil tilts his head and smiles, causing Dan to place a gentle kiss onto his lips.

“Did you have a good day?” Phil asks.

“Yep. Same old same old,” Dan replies. Phil hums.

“Cuddles then dinner?” Phil questions. Dan nods enthusiastically and wraps his arms around Phil, pulling him close to him. Phil lets out a squeak and Dan laughs.

As they settle into their cuddle positions, Dan’s mind drifts over events of the past five months. Infinity recovered from the injuries Dan inflicted on him and is being held in a government facility. Neither Phil nor Dan have heard anything more about him, but it’s a bit above their pay grade so they’re not overly surprised.

The Special’s Program took Dan into their custody, citing his secret powers as a breach of their arrangement with him. Phil lobbied on his behalf, showing them that Dan has no desire to use his powers. They didn’t want to believe that Dan wasn’t a danger to himself or others, but Phil wouldn’t go away without a fight. The compromise they eventually reached was that Dan would have to attend supervised training three times a week until the Special’s Program deemed his second power under control.

Dan and Phil moved in together roughly two months ago. It was a long, hard fought battle to get all the kinks worked out so they could be in a relationship. Dan thinks about the conversation they had they day they moved in. They were standing out in front of their flat block, in front of their move in truck. The words they said became the mantra of their relationship.

_Dan looks over at Phil. “No more secrets right?” he asks._

_Phil lifts his hand, shielding his eyes from the sunlight. “No more secrets,” he replies with a small smile._

_Dan nods and smiles. “Let’s go Flamo,” Dan says as he moves towards the back of the truck._

_“Flame Blaster!” Phil cries at Dan’s back._

_“Seriously not better,” Dan teases over his shoulder._

Dan slips his eyes close and smile at the memory. He pulls Phil tighter against him and feels Phil try to burrow deeper into his chest. Contentment and happiness spread throughout his body; causing Dan to relish in it. He’s got everything that he wants, for now.


End file.
